The present invention relates to the fertilization detection of biological products such as eggs or seeds. In particular, the invention is directed to the detection of chicken eggs to determine if the eggs are fertile. It has been found that approximately from one-fourth to one-third of all eggs which are sent into a hatchery for incubation are not fertilized and are not detectible as unfertilized eggs until after 21 days of incubation has taken place. This consequently results in a tremendous waste of space, energy and labor in the poultry industry. It would be desirable if some convenient and reliable means could be utilized for quickly detecting whether or not an egg is fertile, whereupon unfertilized eggs could be removed from the incubation system so that the only eggs remaining are eggs which are definitely fertilized.
Similar concerns are had in other fields, such as in wildlife conservation programs, for example with duck, geese and swan eggs as well as other endangered species such as reptiles and turtle eggs. Additionally, it would be useful for other biological products such as banana crops or products involving seeds if it were know whether or not the seed is in fact fertilized.